One of the great things about this design is the huge amount of room available to install all of your
radio, fuel, retract, and turbine components. In an effort to keep these instructions up to date, you will
see photos of several different Reactions including the original ARF (short nose) and the X version (long nose).
Click on any of the photos for a larger image. If you have any questions that are not covered here,
please contact me or PST directly and we will do our best to help.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Always sand and clean surfaces (wipe with alcohol or acetone) before gluing.
- Use a high-quality epoxy such as Hysol 9462, BVM Aeropoxy, or 30-minute epoxy mixed with milled fibers
for all gluing tasks.
- As you can see in the photos, I leave a healthy fillet of epoxy at the base of my control horns. To my
way of thinking, the extra strength outweighs the poor appearance. Besides, most of the horns are on the
bottom and normally out of sight.
- Supplied mounts are sized for JR servos. Other servos may require the mounts to be trimmed for best fit.
- Some of my mounts were not glued square and true at the factory. Sand the mounts and/or add spacers
if necessary to make sure the mount is not twisted when glued to the hatch.
- Test a clevis in the control horns to make sure the pin fits snug, but not tight. I needed to go through mine
with a 1/16" drill bit to open them up slightly.
- In general, it is better for flutter resistance to hook your linkage to the outermost hole in the
control horn, and the innermost hole in the servo arm, as shown in the final photo.
- Be certain that the linkage does not bind or "catch" in the slot.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Flap control horns and servos are installed just like the ailerons.
- One servo will need to be reversed. Hitec servos (as shown) can be individually programmed. Futaba
offers a Y-connector with an adjustable reverser (SR-10). A servo matching device like the Matchbox will
also work. If you have enough receiver channels, you can plug the flap servos into separate channels and
program them in the transmitter.
- It is important to be precise with your setup. The flaps must deflect equally, at least 60 degrees.

- IMPORTANT UPDATE!
Add two screws to each hatch, through the fiberglass and into the wood servo mounts for extra security
(see photo above, right). This goes for all hatches - ailerons, flaps, and rudder. Use the same screws
that are used for mounting the hatches.

PST provides a couple of access holes in the wing panels, but I did not like their positions. The existing
hole on the top surface of the wing is too far aft, conflicting with a fuselage bulkhead when assembled. I cut
a new hole in the top, about 1" diameter and installed a rubber grommet (not provided)
to protect the wiring and air lines. The servo lead from the flap servo should reach to this hole. I use a 12"
extension on the aileron servo lead.

In the wing root, I thought the larger hole closer to the trailing edge was easier for routing air lines away
from the wheel well, but you do have to trim away the fiberglass. There is no clearance for a grommet, so sand
the edges smooth and that should be adequate to protect the air lines.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Clean the three point hinges with alcohol, then lubricate the center joints. Some like to use a drop of
oil, but I prefer a dab of petroleum jelly. Use a heat gun to "melt" the dab into the joint, and flex it
a few times. When cool, the petroleum jelly will be less likely to run than oil.
- Use epoxy to glue in the hinges. For this model, it is best to position the hinge joint as deep in the
rudder as you can. Glue the hinges into the rudder first, making sure they swing freely. You can allow
the epoxy to dry, then glue the hinges into the fin with a fresh batch of epoxy if you wish. However, I
prefer to do the job one step, because you can then deflect the rudder a few times before the epoxy dries
which will automatically self-align the hinge points.
- When installing the hatch/servo mount assembly, I noticed the plywood mount made contact with the
opposite side of the fin. A few swipes with the sanding block as shown in the photo provided clearance.
- The last photo shows a receiver, switch, and battery that I used during setup.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Use the one long control horn for the elevator. Mine had a shallow cut mark near the base, which I
ignored. The horn should fit deep into the elevator slot. I drilled a couple of glue holes in mine for
extra security. Remember to roughen the surface with sandpaper.
- There is some flexibility in the actual position of the horn. The final position is not critical. I
tried to glue it in as deep as possible, then checked the clearance with the fuselage before it dried.
- Notice the elevator servo is mounted with the servo arm closest to the elevator.
- I had to file the metal elevator mount slightly to fit my Hitec servo.
- No mounting screws are provided for the elevator servo. I used 3-48 x 3/4" screws with lock nuts.
- The servo arm must be positioned properly and the servo arm screw must be tightened securely before the
mount is bolted into the fuselage.
- The elevator servo access hatch is mounted just like all the other hatches, with a flat-head
screw in each corner.

Align the Turbine with the Fuselage. The correct thrust angle has been pre-determined through
flight testing and is set automatically by the two bulkheads in the fuselage. However, you need
to make sure that your turbine has no side thrust.
I acually set my fuselage on the floor (upside down) with the front end
raised with foam blocks to get the the turbine rails approximately level. By standing over the model,
it is fairly easy to eyeball the alignment by comparing the front and rear points of the turbine
with the fiberglass seams in the fuselage.

Mark the Turbine Mounting Holes. Once you are certain that you have your turbine in
its final position, you need to mark the rails through the holes in the turbine mounting straps.
Unfortunately, the front holes are blocked by the fuselage, so a high-tech solution is needed.
I sawed off the pointy end of a pencil at 45 degrees, rotated it, and glued it back on to make a
90-degree pencil. If you have a better idea, let me know!

Prepare the Turbine Mounting Rails. Remove your turbine and the rails from the fuselage.
It will be much easier to drill your holes now than after the rails are installed. Turbine
mounting hardware is not included with the ARF, so you can decide what to use here. You can install
blind nuts if you wish, but PST and I both prefer self-tapping screws because they naturally grip
the plywood and will not loosen. I drilled the rails with a 3/32" dia. drill bit and used
#6 x 3/4" pan-head phillips sheet metal screws. Roughen up the laser-cut edges of the rails with
sandpaper for better glue bonding.

Cut Access Holes, Then Glue Rails. You will need to cut holes through the fuselage bottom
for access to the front turbine mounting screws. A roto-zip bit in a Dremel tool works well.
Vacuum the dust out of the fuselage, then sand and clean the fiberglass sides where the rails will
be glued. Again, use a top-quality epoxy to glue the rails in place. Build up a fillet of epoxy, top
and bottom, using the factory glue fillets as your example.

Mount Your Turbine Before the Epoxy Dries. I like to do this for two reasons. First, it
guarantees that the mounting holes will be perfectly positioned when dry. Second, it puts some
weight on the rails, keeping them in firm contact with the rear bulkhead. When dry,
remove the turbine and install the turbine heat shield.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Install a plywood or hardwood strip (not provided) from the forward turbine bulkhead to the
rear opening in the fiberglass fuselage. I used CA to glue the strip at both ends.
- The shield is cut roughly to shape, but it will need trimming for a perfect fit. Trim each
side equally. The shield should conform at the front to the round cutout in the bulkhead. At the
rear, the shield will flatten out somewhat.
- Also trim the front edge of the shield so that it extends about 1/4" (6mm) forward of the bulkhead.
- When satisfied with the fit, drill two 1/16" holes through the shied and into the wood stick. Attach
the shield to the stick with two sheet metal screws (not provided).

Tidy Strips are molded plastic and are made in two styles - for servo wires and for retract/brake
air lines. Cut them to the needed length, then use CA to glue them to fiberglass or wood.Clamp-Locs are molded rubber and are available for servo wires and several sizes of tubing. I like the
larger ones for fuel tubing. Simply glue them where needed with CA.Tie Wraps are great for wire and tubing bundles. Larger ones can be used to mount things like header
tanks and ECUs, but will require some sort of mount to pass through or around.Tape such as masking tape or vinyl tape is a quick and simple way of fastening down wires or antennas
in hard-to-reach areas. I used it inside my wings for servo leads and air lines.Sticky-Back Velcro is often used for bigger equipment like receivers and ECUs. Be sure to sand and
clean fiberglass before attaching. If attaching to wood, apply a thin layer of epoxy first.Velcro One-Wrap has the hooks on one side and the loops on the other. Used like tie-wraps, but
can be opened and re-fastened easily. Available in rolls in several widths.Cup Hooks and Rubber Bands make a good way to hold down receivers, batteries, or ECUs. Requires
a plywood pad or tray for the hooks.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Assemble the main fuel tank as shown in the directions taped to the tank. All fuel line connections,
both inside and outside the tank, should be safety wired.
- There is something about the idea of the fiberglass tank rubbing against the fiberglass fuselage that
I just don't like, so I added some foam pads for cushioning. It took some time to find the right thickness
and size, but it was worth the effort.
- For the same reason, I added rubber pads to my clips and tabs. They are not entirely necessary (PST does not
use the rubber pads), but it just seemed like a good idea to me. Maybe this desire to isolate the tank from
the airframe is a hold-over from my glow engine days...
- The last step is to glue the front clips to the fuselage. I cheated and used CA. Later, I will add epoxy
fillets all around the edges.
- The front clips work fine, but I noticed over time that the weight of a full tank tends to distort the
fuselage slightly. To avoid this, you can make an alternate front tank mount as shown in one of the pics.
- Route the vent line through a hole in the bottom of the fuselage. During normal operation
(fueling, running the turbine), the vent line must be left open. However, it is a
good idea to plug it while transporting to keep kerosene from dripping into your vehicle. Be sure to remove
the plug when you get to the flying field.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Assemble the main fuel tank as shown in the directions taped to the tank. All fuel line connections,
both inside and outside the tank, should be safety wired.
- I got a little fancy with the foam padding for this model. The front pad was actually cut to shape with a
bandsaw for a perfect fit. Not a necessity, but it worked out well. I put weight bags on the tank while
installing the clips in order to compress the foam padding slightly.
- Again, it is not totally necessary, but I added stick-on rubber padding (not included with ARF)
to each clip where it touches the tank.
- Plan ahead if you are going to install the optional smoke tank. The mounting clips need to be staggered
along the bulkhead so that they do not interfere with each other.
- The thin plywood bulkhead does not provide much "meat" for the screws, so don't drill holes. Just poke
at the marks with an awl, then force the wood screws through.
- Route the vent line through a hole in the bottom of the fuselage. During normal operation
(fueling, running the turbine), the vent line must be left open. However, it is a
good idea to plug it while transporting to keep kerosene from dripping into your vehicle. Be sure to remove
the plug when you get to the flying field.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- The mounting arrangements shown here are just examples of how the header tank can be installed.
I like to keep the header tank visible, accessible, and close to the model's C.G.
- You will need to use the manual fuel valve every time you start your turbine and every time you shut it
down, so it needs to be very accessible. I mounted it to a hardwood rail which is glued to a fuselage bulkhead.
- Festo fittings (like the manual fuel valve shown here) are notorious for leaking if the fuel line is
sharply curved where it meets the fitting. I like to use support guides on either side so the tubing
goes straight into and out of the valve.

Air System Schematic Drawing for PST retracts and brakes. This is your "roadmap" to understanding
how all of the components and air lines are hooked up. You should really print this drawing (use one of
the links below) so it's handy when all those air lines start looking like a bowl of spaghetti.

Prepare Your Mounting Screws. Sheet metal screws are provided for mounting all three retracts
because they are easier
to install than bolts and blind nuts, and they might protect the airframe by ripping out cleanly in a
rough landing (something I don't care to test!). However, the sharp points could possibly damage
air lines, so use a grinder to round them off slightly.

Mark the Main Wheel Retract Mounting Holes. This is a little trickier to do than it may appear
at first. If you just lay the assembly in place with the wheel centered in the wheel well, it may not
be in the ideal position. You need to move the wheel and strut up and down and watch for clearance
around the wheel as it passes through the cutout in the wing skin. When satisfied with the position,
mark the mounting holes, remove the retract, and drill at the marks with a 3/32" drill bit.

Prepare the Mounting Area. The upper "L" bracket for the brake
air line interferes with the wing skin and plywood rail, so I used a Dremel tool with a sanding drum
to provide clearance in this area.

Install the Main Wheel Retracts. Thread the retract air lines through the
wing, then attach them to fittings on the side and end of the retract cylinder. Now you can slide
the retract unit in place and bolt it down with four mounting screws. Add the brake air line, then
work the retract up and down a few times by hand to make sure it stays clear at all times.

Finish the Air Lines in the Wing. Refer to the
Retract and Brake Schematic Diagram
and finish adding the "T" fittings and end connectors as shown.
Each wing panel will have two air lines coming out of the wing root, and two air lines coming
out of the upper skin through the same holes as the servo wires. I added yellow
tape strips to my brake lines at the ends to help identify them.

Prepare Two Air Tank Mounts. Now we move to the front fuselage section to install the nose wheel
retract, the nosewheel steering servo, and the air tanks. Materials for the air tank mounts are not
provided, so the method shown here is just a suggestion. I used two layers of 1/8" lite-ply, with
gaps in the bottom layer for the 1/2" velcro straps.

Build the Guide Tube Support and Steering Servo Mount. These plywood parts are provided with
the ARF, but they need
to be assembled and glued together using CA or epoxy. My servo was a little tall, so I added plywood
strips on the bottom to raise the mount slightly. I also added small plywood pads underneath the screw
holes at each end to provide extra thickness. Use epoxy to glue the servo mount, guide tube support,
and tank mounts to the bottom of the fuselage.

Glue Mount and Support in Place. The servo mount can be mounted further aft than shown here,
but this one was positioned as far forward as possible to leave room for a speedbrake servo
(to be installed later).

Add Nose Wheel Strut. As with the mains, work the nose strut up and down a few times
to make sure it is positioned properly before marking the mounting holes. Attach air lines to
the nose wheel retract unit, then bolt it in place.

Assemble the Steering Cables, Servo End. The nose wheel uses pull-pull cables for steering.
The cables need to be guided around the wheel and strut when retracted using nylon guide tubes.
For some odd reason, the tubes are not included with the ARF - use inner nyrod tubing or something
similar. The cable and most of the hardware shown here is included
with the ARF (except for the 4-40 hex nuts and shrink tubing).

Install Steering Servo. Use a double servo arm as shown. Connect the cables to the arm, using
holes that have the same spacing as the two nylon attach points on the nose wheel strut.

NOTE: Use a separate radio channel for nose wheel steering slaved to the rudder channel
(do not use a Y-connector) so that you can program the steering alone. Generally, you only need a
small amount of movement in the nose wheel, maybe 15 degrees each direction for good ground handling.

Finish the Steering Cables. For this step, be sure to have the servo plugged into the receiver
and the radio switched on so it stays centered. Working with one cable at a time, finish the ends at
the nose wheel strut as shown in the photo. The idea here is to make them as close to proper length as
possible, then adjust them at the servo end if needed. There should be no slack in the cables, but they
do not need to be banjo tight. If they are too tight, the cables could prevent the nose strut from
locking in the down position.

Prepare the Air System Tray. I added plywood strips as shown in the photo to the bottom of
the tray. Depending on your servos and how you intend to connect them to the valves, you may want
to add strips like this to the top of the tray to raise the servos. Plan ahead.

Install the Servos and Air Valves. These linkages are not provided with the ARF package.
I decided to use 2-56 threaded rods with nylon clevises, connected to the servo arms with
low-tech, but trustworthy "Z" bends. As you can see, the air valves only move about 1/4" (6 mm),
so use short servo arms and program the endpoints carefully so the servos do not stall. At this
point, either valve can be used for retracts and the other for brakes.

Attach the Air Lines to the Valves. As you can see, there is quite a jumble of air lines
at the valves. They will all tuck neatly under the nose, so your main concern is to avoid kinks. Route
all of the air lines down through the oval cutout in the tray and the holes in the bulkhead.
Leave enough slack in the air lines so you can pull out the plywood tray as shown in the photo.

Route the Air Lines and Fill Valves. I used tidy strips inside the fuselage to keep
the air lines from flopping around. Be sure to leave your air lines
plenty long so it is easy to hook them up to the air lines coming out of the wing.

The fill valves provided with the retract system are Festo one-way valves. These work fine, but they
do not fit the air lines. The solution is to use 4mm tubing (typical turbine fuel tubing) for the fill
valves. Where the larger tubing meets the "T" fitting, use a short piece of air line on the barb,
then force the 4mm tubing over the smaller tubing. When not in use, my fill valves are secured to the
air tanks using another strip of velcro. Notice the brake fill valve is marked with yellow tape.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- Once the fairings are sanded to fit, tape them in place on the wing and fuselage. Add masking tape
all around the outer edges, then remove the fairings.
- Roughen the surface of the wing with 80-grit sandpaper at all points where the fairing makes contact.
- Remove the masking tape, then tape the fairings back into their final position.
- I used a few drops of thin CA to tack glue the fairings. CAUTION! Thin CA tends to go everywhere, so
apply it carefully and sparingly. You do not want to glue the wing halves together, or the wing to the
fuselage!
- Remove the wing and finish gluing all around the fairings with thin or medium CA.
- Mine ended up with a pretty big gap at the root, but the fairing is securely glued everywhere else
so I am not going to worry about it (this area is not visible when the model is assembled).

The question about bolting the front fuselage to the rear fuselage is not HOW?, but WHEN? The "how"
is easy - simply use the four supplied socket-head bolts with some lock-tite to join the sections.
The fiberglass flanges do not need to be glued,
but you can add epoxy to the joint if you wish. I like the idea of possibly taking it apart some time
in the future so I just used the bolts.

The "when" is a little trickier. It is tempting to bolt it together early to see how it looks, and leave it
that way while working on it. However, I found it very easy to work on the separate sections for as long as
practical. The flat bulkheads make it possible to stand the sections vertically, which was handy at times. I
finally bolted the sections together when it was time to run the retract and brake air lines from the valves
back to the wing opening. At that point, the fuel system was completely installed in the rear fuselage section,
the turbine was installed, and the nose wheel steering system was installed in the front fuselage section.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
- The canopy glues to the inside of the frame. Trim the canopy about 1/4" oversize, smooth any bumps on the
inside of the frame, then tape the canopy in place all around on the outside surface. You want these parts
to make good contact with no gaps.
- Position the assembly upside down with a block of wood under each end of the frame. Add a weight bag
inside the canopy to help keep it in contact with the frame.
- Use a white canopy glue like Zap Formula 560. Force glue under the edge of the canopy, all the way around.
I heated and bent a long CA nozzle for this step. You may have to lift the edge of the canopy with a fingernail
as you go.
- Canopy glue will eventually dry clear, but mine took several days. Once dry, remove the tape and simply
rub away any dried glue that may have oozed to the outside.
- The printed instrument panel that comes with the ARF is easy to stick in place. However, mine started to
wrinkle and lift after about a year. I suggest you add a layer of clear plastic over the panel, held with a few
small screws.
- If you use a pilot figure, be sure to glue him securely! Not only at the base, but anything that might
come loose during flight like sunglasses, helmets, masks, etc...
- The cockpit tub also glues to the inside of the frame. Trim the edges just enough so it will wiggle into
place, leaving at least 1/8" (3mm) of overlap on each side. Add a notch to each side to clear the globs
of glue that are holding the frame pins in place. I also suggest cutting a finger hole in the bottom of the
tub, under the instrument panel, which will help you later during the gluing process.
- Before you glue the tub in place, this is your last chance to clean the inside surface of the canopy.
Also vacuum or wipe any dust on the tub that could come loose later.
- Use fast-drying epoxy to glue the tub in place, and hold it until dry. As shown in the last photo, leave
a dry section (no glue) on each side in the area of the pins. This will allow a small amount of flexibility
which may be needed to get the pins to engage properly.
- It may go without saying, but always take the time to be sure your canopy latches firmly before you fly.
I've seen a lot of jet canopies fly off because the pilot rushed to get in the air after starting the turbine.

Fuel Pump Installation. In general, the fuel pump can be one of the "noisiest" components
in the model in
terms of RF emissions. It is best to keep your pump far away from your receiver, ECU, and any other
wiring as practical. My fuel pump is mounted to a metal bracket which is screwed to a plywood
pad. Other pumps may need
to be held in place with tie wraps. I prefer to use 6mm tubing from the header tank to the fuel pump
because I think it is easier on the pump to draw through the larger tubing. A Festo 6mm-4mm reducer
is used just before the pump inlet.

Turbine Connections. If you are new to turbines, the variety of wires and tubes that need
connecting and routing can seem overwhelming. Take them one at a time, and your understanding and
confidence will grow. Here you can see the main fuel line with a fuel filter just before the
turbine. Down low is the EGT connector stuck in place with Velcro. I like Velcro for this purpose
because it provides a bit of cushioning. Notice the support block with two screws and rubber bands
to hold the bundle of turbine wires.

Gas Solenoid. Again, two-piece Velcro is used to hold the gas solenoid in place on the
side of the fuselage. My installation does not have an onboard propane canister - I prefer to
use an external canister for starting. PST does not use a solenoid for the fuel (kerosene),
although one can be installed if you wish (the ECU is set up for the option). Notice the
numerous tie wraps used to hold the wire bundle together.

ECU and Receiver Shelves. This is where you really need to plan ahead. I like to keep my
ECU and receiver separated as far as possible. I also want my antenna a good distance from the ECU
and other wiring. In the end, I added these plywood shelves as shown (not included with ARF package).
The receiver goes well forward
and its antenna (72 mHZ) will be routed along the right-hand side of the model with the air lines. The ECU is
mounted well aft and all of its wiring will run along the left-hand side of the model. There is still
plenty of room for access to the air tanks and steering servo.

Receiver Installation. As a long-time modeler, I still like to wrap my receiver in foam
even though there is minimal vibration in a jet. At least it will be protected a little bit in case
of a crash. It is held to the receiver shelf with cup hooks and rubber bands. The antenna is simply
taped to the fuselage side. Further aft, I was careful to keep the antenna away from the carbon
fiber reinforcing strips molded into the fuselage.

ECU and Related Equipment. For some reason, I can live without the ECU being wrapped in
foam. However, there is a foam pad underneath for a bit of cushioning. Notice how all of the
connections and switches and fuel valve are all easy to access. I will need to get at all of them
before and after every flight, so it makes life easier if they are all conveniently handy. NOTE: It is
a good habit to unplug the ECU battery between flights, even if the switch is off.

Reaction X Battery Installation. The battery rack in the nose is designed to use tie wraps.
These lithium batteries are cushioned with rubber strips. A smaller battery for the smoke system was
added later, under the receiver battery.

Speed Brake Installation Shown here is the speed brake with hinges and horn, and the servo mount.
The servo mount is included with the ARF, but nothing else is provided.
I'm not sure what PST used for a horn and hinges, but just about any type of control
horn can be used. Offset hinges are available from Dreamworks. Several brands should work well, including
Robart,
BVM, and
Tamjets. Notice the plywood triangles at the rear corners of the opening to keep the speed brake
flush with the fuselage when retracted. You can program the speed brake to deploy with a separate channel
or mix it with the flaps to deploy automatically.